1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a manipulator for a medical device. In particular, embodiments of the invention relate to a device and method for the manipulation of an endoscope or laparoscope during a surgical operation.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 37 CFR 1.98
There are a number of occasions during which it is necessary to view and work on remote or inaccessible sites. For example, during a surgical operation it is sometimes necessary to operate on organs, which are within the human body.
In the example of a surgical operation, a surgeon may wish to carry out surgery through as small an incision as possible to reduce scarring and trauma to the patient (in addition, small incisions will reduce the risk of infection and can lead to reductions in post-operative recovery times for the patient).
Thus, there is a requirement for imaging devices or cameras, with relatively small external dimensions, which can be maneuvered through small orifices to allow access to remote or inaccessible sites. To this end, endoscopes (including endoscopic cameras) have been developed. Endoscopes usually comprise a length of rigid or flexible tubing containing an optical fiber system and a light delivery system with a light source attached to a distal end of the tube. A lens system is attached to the optical fiber system at the distal end of the tube, while an endoscopic camera is attached to the optical fiber system at the proximal end of the tube. Thus, it is possible for a user to view an object (or remote site), which is at the distal end of the tube through a display device, which attaches to the endoscopic camera. The distal end of the tube may be maneuvered so as to vary the view of the object (or remote site), which is displayed on the display device.
A variety of endoscopes are specifically designed for use in surgery of this type, for example, endoscopes may be used in laparoscopic surgery (carried out upon the abdominal area of a patient), and in such circumstances will generally be referred to as laparoscopes. Of course, the invention is not limited to devices for use in abdominal surgery, but the examples below will be given with reference to laparoscopes.
A laparoscope may comprise a rigid laparoscope, the proximal end of which is attached to a camera and the distal end of which is inserted into a patient's abdomen (often through their umbilicus).
Traditionally, the laparoscope has been held in place by an assistant who moves the device in response to instructions from the surgeon. More recently, a number of mechanized and robotic devices have been developed to hold and maneuver the laparoscope to allow the surgeon to control the camera directly using, for example, voice commands or head movements.
By necessity, controlled movements of a laparoscope are generally rather slow. This allows a surgeon to have fine control over the positioning of the laparoscope, and to train the camera accurately on small features within the body of a patient.
However, the surgeon will often desire to view a part of the patient, which will require a large movement of the laparoscope from its existing position. In such cases, it takes a significant length of time to move the laparoscope to the desired position using the controls provided.